In the field of packaging it is required to provide adaptable machines and sub-assemblies that are capable of packaging a variety of types of primary article, such as cans and bottles, into secondary packages (cartons) that contain or hold together an array of articles in a multipack. It is known to provide such multipacks to subsequent sub-assemblies for collating a number of multipacks or cartons into a tertiary package.
In the interests of economic and efficient packaging, it is required to achieve the highest throughput of packaged primary articles and to ensure that the output of a primary processing line, for example a bottling line is not limited by the speed of operation of a secondary packaging line. In addition; the linear size and/or floor space of a packaging line; the types of article; and the type of carton that can be accommodated by a packaging line are important considerations. Higher throughputs can be achieved if machine lines can be run faster; however this is not always possible when manipulation of cartons introduces complexities that limit the run-speed and often greater linear size of packaging machine is required where run-speeds are higher. Additionally, running at high-speeds can cause components of a machine to suffer wear and damage due to friction and heat. This in turn can cause down time to the packaging machine and potentially the entire bottling line, as well as costly repair to the machines.
It is therefore advantageous to optimise machine output in other ways than simply increasing the machine run-speed. It is also desirable to provide packaging and processing assemblies that are versatile and can take articles output from a primary processing line and manipulate them in a variety of ways. It is known to package primary articles in groups into secondary packaging cartons. Typically if it is required to produce secondary articles in a certain grouped array, for example 2×3, then a packaging machine that can meter such articles; group the articles and then manipulate secondary packaging cartons, such that a group of six articles is packaged into such an array is used. Then, if it is required to change to packaging articles in groups of eight in say a 2×4 array, either an entirely different packaging machine is required or significant downtime of the packaging machine is necessary in order to change over certain parts of the machine, so that metering grouping and packaging of the primary articles in different configurations can be achieved. Downtime can impact the entire processing line and can inhibit production of the primary articles in say the bottling line.
Many known machines are capable only of packaging one type of carton and bottling plants can be required to use a plurality of machines to package different carton types; each machine takes up considerable floor space and can be expensive to purchase and operate. Each of the machines typically has a separate infeed of articles. It is desirable to have packaging machines that are adaptable for accommodating a variety of articles; carton types and carton sizes. It is also desirable to minimise the linear size of packaging machines to reduce the amount of floor space occupied.
The present invention seeks to provide a number of advantages or improvements in the field of packaging and article processing.